1961 VIN Tag Correct?

[Mike B.]

The car to which this tag is attached is currently listed on ebay - said to be owned by the late Kerby Puckett.

I always thought that the serial number was more or less centered under "Chevrolet". This one is positioned way to the left. Is this correct or a suspect repop?

[Robert Willis]

Re: 1961 VIN Tag Correct?

I repoped one for a friends 58 useing my 57 tag as a guide. Their car had the proper VIN on the frame but the tag was gone after a couple of repaints . On my original tag the CHEVROLET is raised and the VIN number is stamped into the tag under the Chevrolet.

Where I live the car is registered by the VIN on the frame because every thing bolts to the frame (body, suuspension, etc, etc). I found out about the registeration thing a few years ago when I wanted to change a truck cab, it was classified as a repair and I just had to change the VIN tag.

The big thing is does the VIN tag match the frame number as that will be the first thing the Police will check when looking at a stolen car ? If the VIN on the frame was unimportant the Mfg would never have stamped it to start with.

Laws maybe different place to place.

[Joe M.]

Re: 1961 VIN Tag Correct?

On my cars,
61 vin raised and offset to the left of CHEVROLET as in the photo.
57 vin stamped and offset to the right of CHEVROLET.

[Mike E.]

Re: 1961 VIN Tag Correct?

Mike--
The location of the VIN stamping varied as the its alignment with the "Chevrolet". This one is no concern in my book, at all. (I've owned 29 62's and 6 61's, if that helps at all)

[Mike B.]

Re: 1961 VIN Tag Correct?

Thank you to all.

I own a '61 and therefore tend to try to educate myself on such things. The tag and spot welds look original but I had never seen one staggered like that one. I would think that a fixture was used that consistently jigged the tag in place for stamping. I presume that the word "Chevrolet" was pre stamped so it's possible that tags could have slipped to the left or right when the serial number was being stamped. Or maybe there was no jig and it was just done by eye.

One learns something every day.

[Paul B.]

Re: 1961 VIN Tag Correct?

On my '62, the 2 is slightly offset to the left, almost exactly where the zero is on yours.
Paul

[John M.]

[Mike B.]

Re: 1961 VIN Tag Correct?

Hi John,

Very interesting indeed. You are very correct in that what was once seemingly unimportant (such as position of the sequence) has multiplied in significance beyond anyone's imagination of the day.

I can envision the stamping device you describe. It is probably not unlike the novelty machine that squashes and stamps an impression on a penny using a set of wheels to do so.

And I certainly agree, the last place the VIN tag should have been located was on a removeable component such as the steering column. But again, who was looking that far ahead?

Thanks for the detailed review.

Mike

[Charles C.]

Re: 1961 VIN Tag Correct?

Very good post John. My '61 is car no. 4830 and the vin is precisely under the Chevrolet.

Charles